Jim Cramer's stock market winners and losers for 2021

CNBC’s Jim Cramer offered his list of the biggest winners on Wall Street in 2021. The “Mad Money” host also shared his biggest disappointments, as markets head into their final trading days of the year.

“As we wrap up 2021, I think it’s the ideal time to give out some fantastic presents … to those who helped us make money, while handing out lumps of coal … to those who’ve done real damage to our portfolios,” Cramer said Thursday.

Pfizer

• After its stock languished for years and investors grew concerned about a looming patent cliff, Cramer said Pfizer delivered by having ample doses of its highly effective Covid vaccine available, including for booster shots, and by developing an antiviral pill to treat the disease. Pfizer’s stock is up 59% year to date.

Nvidia

• Nvidia shares have surged 127% so far in 2021 and Cramer said he believes the semiconductor company is poised to continue dominating in areas such as high-performance computing and gaming. Furthermore, Cramer said the investment in the so-called metaverse will also help Nvidia.

Elon Musk

• Cramer said the Tesla CEO has “revolutionized” the auto industry and “made his shareholders fortunes in the process.” Shares of the electric vehicle maker are up 51% in 2021, putting its market capitalization just north of $1 trillion.

Rick Muncrief

• The Devon Energy president and CEO took over in January 2021 following a merger with WPX Energy, and this year the company’s stock has soared nearly 166%. Cramer said Muncrief has helped Devon become an oil company focused more on rewarding shareholders instead of “spending like a drunken sailor on new wells.” That’s enabled the Oklahoma City-based company to pay out a variable dividend with a yield equivalent to roughly 8%, Cramer said.

Apple

• Shares of the iPhone maker have rallied more than 32% year to date, putting its market cap at $2.89 trillion. Cramer said Apple’s move to the upside came despite another year of doubt from some equity analysts and media members alike. “All you had to do was ignore them and follow my sage advice: Own Apple, don’t trade it,” he said.

China

• Cramer said Beijing’s decision this year to ratchet up regulatory scrutiny has been bad news for the stocks of many Chinese companies. He said it’s why he believes now that investors should avoid Chinese stocks.

SPACs

• Cramer said even though special purpose acquisition companies grew in popularity this year, many have not delivered for retail investors. He repeated his call for the Securities and Exchange Commission to take a tougher stance on SPACs.

Biogen and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

• “I don’t like what Biogen has done with its Alzheimer’s drug, but I’m even more disappointed in the doctors on the FDA who approved it and went against the panel of doctors who actually analyzed the thing,” Cramer said.

AT&T

• Shares of the telecommunications giant have struggled this year, down roughly 13.5% year to date in what’s been a strong year for the major U.S. stock averages. Cramer repeated his criticism of AT&T’s management, particularly its planned dividend cut after the planned break-off of WarnerMedia is completed.

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Disclosure: Cramer’s charitable trust owns shares of Nvidia and Apple.